Six Degrees of Separation
Independent American Drama Acting Assignment
Vineet Erasala, James Gao, Parker Henry, Christopher Krueger, Emmanuel Setegn
AP English Literature and Composition
Ms. N. Wilson
30 October 2013
I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.
Vineet Erasala Emmanuel Setegn
Parker Henry James Gao Christopher Krueger
2. Rationale. John Guare never reveals the true surname of Paul, the protagonist and anti-hero of Six Degrees of Separation. Just as Paul’s name remains ambiguous, Paul’s moral compass also remains ambivalent; nevertheless, he exudes a charm that wins sympathy from both his New York victims and the audience. We chose the 2002 AP Open Question prompt to explore the two contradictory sides of Paul’s character and how these two opposing sides are mirrored in society. For all of Paul’s deceptions and tricks, the elite society around him is similarly fraudulent, and often prejudiced—in Six Degrees, Guare pointedly poses the question, “Who is the real fraud? Whose evils are worse?” Our frame narrative begins at the proverbial Pearly Gates of Heaven, where St. Peter is about to judge Paul’s soul. The Judgment is traditionally thought of as an absolute determination, a final weighing of the good and the evil within a person, and by requiring Paul to address St. Peter, we force Paul to confront his own misdeeds and try, one last time, to justify his wrongdoings. Yet, the more Paul tries to defend himself, the more he unveils the hypocrisy of society around him, and Paul makes his fate more ambiguous. The setting sun in the background reinforces the idea of Paul caught between the light and the dark: even St. Peter acknowledges at the end, using the very words Paul plagiarized, that whether Paul is morally justified or not is a relative rather than absolute judgment.
The three scenes we chose juxtaposed Paul’s failings with the flaws of the society around him. The first scene establishes Paul, Flanders, and Ouisa all as schemers and deceivers. Ouisa, obsessed with wealth and portrayed with exaggerated emotion, is grateful to Paul only for securing a ten-million dollar art deal while her husband rewards Paul with a measly fifty dollars out of the two-million dollar profit, yet Flan and Ouisa’s gratitude evaporates when they discover Paul brought a male prostitute into their house. This scene points out that even though Paul deceived Flan and Ouisa, he greatly helped the two, albeit inadvertently, unintentional good that balances Paul’s breach of trust by bringing in the prostitute. The second scene demonstrates Paul as both victimizer and victim: he once again uses false pretenses to receive help from the doctor, yet Paul is also the target of the racism of the doctor. The final scene, the phone call between Paul and Ouisa, reveals the most about Paul’s character. He is filled with a deep longing to be part of the elite, asking for Ouisa’s “everlasting friendship”, an idea Ouisa scoffs at. Behind all the layers of schemer the previous scenes have already established, Paul confesses his deceptions and pours out his dreams, leaving vulnerable and alone as Ouisa urges him to turn himself in. Does Paul’s sincerity in the final scene prove to be his saving grace? This question is left unanswered as the camera zooms out from Paul standing on the sidewalk, isolated from a society, a misfit from both right and wrong.
3. Synopsis Sheet: Six Degrees of Separation
General Synopsis: A young black man named Paul enters the lives of wealthy art dealers Flan and Ouisa Kittredge. The couple is enthralled by his charming demeanor and rich, grandiose history. Paul, however helpful in their business endeavors, turns out not to be who he seems as his whole persona is an act. Paul fades out of The Kittredges’ lives, but eventually comes back and is welcomed under their wing for his great promise and talent. Paul has gotten himself into too much trouble though, and is taken to prison before the play ends.
Playwright Background Information: John Guare
· New Yorker
· Wrote his first play at eleven years old
· Went to Georgetown and Yale
· Highly theatrical plays. Guare magnifies human condition to make it bizarre and comic.
· He said he tried to expand theatre’s boundaries “because [he] thought the chaotic state of the world demanded it” (Anderson)
Primary Characters:
· Paul – talented, clever, young black man who uses his wit to convince people of his promise, when in reality he started out as a hoodlum.
· John Flanders Kittredge (Flan) – wealthy, white, New York art dealer caught up in his business and dealings
· Louisa Kittredge (Ouisa) – Flan’s wife who has a soft spot for the talent and drive in Paul
Setting: New York in the 90s
Key Moments:
· Paul enters the Kittredges’ house apparently mugged. They clean him up, and a grandiose lie about who he is helps the couple land a deal with a business friend for two million dollars.
· Paul stays the night with the Kittredges but brings in a male prostitute which gets him kicked out leaving the couple, especially Flan, infuriated
· Paul goes on to deceive many other wealthy people in New York the same way, including a Dr. Fine
· The rich band together in search of who Paul really is, and they find out through their children, that he was a nobody, lucky enough to come across an address book with all of their names
· Paul meets a young couple and moves in with them, tricks them into giving him money, and seduces the male, Rick. Rick eventually commits suicide.
· Paul calls Ouisa at the end and begs her to help him become what she and Flan are. Ouisa eventually agrees, provided Paul turn himself in to the police.
· Paul is taken to prison, and Flan and Ouisa lose contact with him as they do not know his real name, and they are not his family.
Key Quotes:
· “I believe the imagination is the passport that we create to help take us into the real world. I believe the imagination is merely another phrase for what is most uniquely us” --Paul
· “I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation between us and everyone else on this planet. The President of the United States, a gondolier in Venice, just fill in the names. I find it extremely comforting that we're so close. I also find it like Chinese water torture, that we're so close because you have to find the right six people to make the right connection... I am bound; you are bound, to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people.” –Ouisa
· “We could have been killed. Throats slashed!” –Flan
Symbols/Motifs:
· Kandinsky Painting: The Kittredges have a two sided painting by the artist Kandinsky in their home. One side represents chaos, the other control. The couple often flips the painting depending on the mood, reflecting the two sides to every story.
· Social Class: One of the major barriers between Paul and the Kittredges, social class permeates the play. The couple is part of the “elite” of New York, and Paul desperately wants to climb the social ladder to their rank.
· Race: Race also separates the two sides. Paul, however, asserts that he has never felt black due to his upbringing in Europe. This turns out to be a lie in an attempt to cover up such a barrier and bring him closer to the wealthy couple.
4. Script
A. Title: Six Degrees of Separation
B. Author: John Guare
C. Characters
Paul, played by Manny Setegn
Flan and Policeman, played by Christopher Krueger
Ouisa, played by James Gao
Dr. Fine and Geoffrey, played by Vineet Erasala
St. Peter, Tess, and Doug, played by Parker Henry
D. So often we find ourselves in ethical “Gray zones” between right and wrong. The definition of morality itself is one highly based on social pressure and personal preference relating to behavior. This inherent ambiguity is what causes many characters in works of literature to occupy that gray-zone throughout a plotline, generally to highlight the underlying message of the novel. John Guare utilizes characters within his plays for a similar purpose. For example, John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation presents Paul as an antihero and gold digger who deceives society; however, the play juxtaposes his wrongdoing and moral ambiguity with a society plagued by racism and elitism. Ironically, society judges Paul despite the fact both have underlying flaws; the play argues that it is impossible to use external perceptions to judge the absolute nature of character.
E./F.
Introduction (Above) played as a voiceover with a close up of the Pearly Gates.
Open on the Pearly Gates of Heaven. We see Saint Peter Standing at the gate, in a conversation with a young, black male.
Peter: State your Name.
Paul: Paul Poitier-Kittredge.
Peter [flipping through large, ornate book]: Your name is not in my book. You don’t get to go to heaven today.
Paul: Whose name is in there?
Peter: Who would you know in this book? Hm… There’s the Kittredges. Both of them are in there, Flan and Ouisa. And Dr. Fine… I think you met him. He’s on the list.
Paul: Why are they on that list? They were just as bad as I was!
Peter: Yeah… but you were pretty bad.
Paul: No I wasn’t. Prove it!
Peter: Okay. Let’s think back to the first time you met the Kittredges. That wasn’t a very good night for you, was it? [Paul looks into the distance, cue Scene 1]
Scene 1:
Open on Flan and Ouisa’s house.
Flan:We were having a wonderful evening last night.
Ouisa: A friend we hadn’t seen for many years came by for dinner. He's King Midas rich. Literally. Gold mines.
Flan: When he called it was like a bolt from the blue as I had a deal coming up and was short by two million
Ouisa: We weren’t sucking up. We like Geoffrey.
Flan: It's that awful thing of having truly rich folk for friends.
[Flan claps, and suddenly Geoffrey appears out of nowhere out of movie magic. After all, he’s little but a wish-granting genie to them]
Flan: Geoffrey, you have to move out of South Africa. you’ll be killed. Why do you stay in South Africa?
Geoffrey: One has to stay there to educate the black workers and we'll know we’ve been successful when they kill us!
Flan: Planning the revolution that will destroy you.
Ouisa: Putting your life on the line.
Ouisa [to us]: We weren’t auditioning, but we kept thinking two million dollars…
Flan: It's like when people say 'Don't think about elephants'
and all you can think about is elephants elephants.
[Paul Enters, clutching abdomen]
Paul: I'm so sorry to bother you, but l’ve been hurt and I’ve lost everything and I didn't know where to go. I was mugged. Out there. In Central park. In this ate oi mechanical
reproduction they managed to get the only copy of my thesis
Ouisa: We bathed him. We did First Aid.
Geoffrey: It's been wonderful seeing you
Ouisa: No no no! Stay!
(to us) Two million dollars two million dollars
We asked him where home was
Paul: Although I've lived all over. My folks are divorced. He’s remarried. He,s doing a movie.
Ouisa: He named the greatest black star in movies. Sidney Poitier
Flan: What are they supposed to say? We've become friends
with the son of Sidney Poitier, barrier breaker of the fifties and sixties?
Geoffrey: Your father means a great deal in South Africa.
Paul: I'm glad of that. Dad and I went to Russia once to a film festival and he was truly amazed how much his presence meant
Geoffrey: There's all ways of doing business. Flanders, walk me to the elevator.
[Flanders and Geoffrey exit]
[Flanders reenters]
Flan:He's in.
Ouisa:He's in?
Flan: He's in for two million.
Ouisa:Two million
Flan: He says the Cezanne is a great investment. We should
get it for six million and sell it to the Tokyo bunch for ten.
Paul: Your kids said you were an art dealer. But you don’t have a gallery. I don’t understand…
Flan: People want to sell privately. Not go through a gallery
Ouisa: Wife doesn't want hubby to know she owns a Cezanne.
Flan: And you saved us a fortune…
Ouisa: We picked up two million dollars. One billionth of a percent commission is…
Flan: Fifty dollars. [Hands it to Paul, who hesitates and takes it].
Paul: But I'll get it back to you tomorrow. I want my father to meet you.
All: Good night!
The set begins in the dark. Suddenly, a piercing scream and a distant door slams. Flan and Ouisa run in from opposite directions as the lights turn on.
Paul [remorsefully]: I am so sorry.
Flan: Where’s my money?!
Paul: I spent it.
Ouisa [distraught]: GET OUT! [ushers Paul to leave the house]
[Paul exits.]
Flan: I am shaking.
Ouisa: You have to do something. We--We could have been killed!
Flan: Throats slashed.
(Guare 18-33)
Transition
Cut to Pearly Gates
Peter: in the face of their hospitality, you betrayed them.
Paul: it was just a kiss…
Peter: you lied to them, and then you stole their money.
Paul: they gave me the money.
Peter: that was because you deceived them.
Paul: didn’t your boss once say “let the guy without sin throw the first rock” when they caught that woman cheating on her husband. I bet none of them had done the same things she had, but they still didn’t stone her. You can’t say the same thing about those rich folk. They make their living in deception and lie as naturally as breathing. They still think however that they are better than everyone else and that their side of the story is right when they sit and judge me.
Peter: do you have proof of these accusations?
Paul: I have it directly from their own mouths. I kinda feel sorry for them.
Peter: you feel sorry for them?
Paul: yeah. I mean, despite what everyone else thinks about me, i know who i am, looking at their faces, i think they’ve never had to look at a mirror and see who is gazing back.
Peter: Let’s look at that.
Cut to scene 2
Scene 2
Cut to Dr. Fine outside his home.
Dr. Fine [to us]: There are two sides to every story.
Doug: You’re an idiot! You’re an idiot!
Dr. Fine [to us]: I went home--Courageously--With a policeman.
Dr. Fine: ARREST HIM! [Points to Paul]
Paul: Pardon?
Dr. Fine: Breaking and Entering.
Paul: Breaking and Entering?
Dr. Fine: You’re an impostor.
Paul: Officer, your honor, your eminence, Dr. Fine gave me the keys to his brownstone--Isn’t that so?
Dr. Fine: My son doesn’t know you.
Paul: This man gave me the keys to the house. Isn’t that so?
Policeman [Screams]: Did you give him the keys to the house?!
Dr. Fine: Yes, but under false pretenses! This black kid crack addict comes into my office lying--
Paul: I have taken this much brandy, but can pour the rest back into the bottle. And I’ve used electricity listening to the music, but I think you’ll find that nothing is taken from the house.
(Paul Goes)
Dr. Fine: I want you to arrest this fraud!
Doug: A cretin! A creep! No wonder mother left you!
Dr. Fine [To us]: Two sides. Every story.
Transition
Cut to Pearly Gates
Paul: See, no one on earth is perfect.
Peter: Prove that someone on earth is willing to vouch for you.
Cut to Scene 3
Scene 3:
The line rings at Ouisa’s home
Ouisa: Hello?
Paul [from a street corner]: Hello.
Ouisa: Paul?
Paul: It’s Paul Portier-Kittredge. It’s a hyphenated name.
Ouisa:You have to turn yourself in. The boy committed suicide. You stole the money. The girl is pressing charges. They’re going to get you. Why not turn yourself in and you can get off easier. You can strike a bargain. Learn when you’re trapped. You’re so brilliant. You have such promise. You need help.
Paul: Would you help me?
Ouisa: My husband feels you betrayed him
Paul:do you?
Ouisa: You were lunatic! Do you have AIDS? Are you infected?!
Paul: I do not have it. It’s a miracle, but I don’t.
Ouisa: Where have you been?
Paul: Travelling.
Ouisa:You’re not in trouble?I mean, more trouble?
Paul: No. I only visited you. I didn’t like the first people so much. They went out and just left me alone. I didn’t like the doctor. he was too eager to please. And he left me alone. Buy you. You and your husband. We all stayed together.
Ouisa: What did you want from us?
Paul: Everlasting friendship.
Ouisa: Nobody has that.
Paul: You do.
Ouisa: Perhaps I’d better hang up.
Paul: No! I went to a museum! I read The Agony and the Ecstasy, about Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Have you seen the Sistine Chapel?
Ouisa: Absolutely.
Paul: You did?
Ouisa:And do you know what they clean it with? All this technology. Q-tips and Water.
Paul: No! Take me to see it?
Ousia: Take you to see it?! Paul, they think you might have murdered someone! You stole money! You are so smart and so stupid
Paul (Furious): Never say I’m stupid.
Ouisa: Paul, You need help. Go to the police. Turn yourself in. You’ll be over it all the sooner. You can start.
Paul: Start What?
Ouisa: your life?
Paul: Will you help me?
(Ousia pauses, and makes a decision.)
Ouisa: I will help you. But you have to go to the police and go to jail and--
(Flan appears)
Flan: Honey, could you give me a hand with--
Ouisa (mouths to Flan): It’s Paul.
Flan: Get him out of our life. Get off that phone or I’ll rip it out of the wall.
(The other line rings. Tess appears)
Tess: I’m getting married and going to Afghanistan--
Flan: We cannot talk about this now--
Tess: I’m going to ruin my life and get married and throw away everything you want me to be because it’s the only way to hurt you!
(Tess goes)
Paul: Are you in? I could come and make a feast for you.
Ouisa: Your cooking--
Paul: Other people’s recipes.
Ouisa: Everything is somebody else’s.
Paul: Not your life.
Ouisa: You got me there. That is mine. It is no one elses.
(A pause)
Ouisa: Paul, we will come right now and get you. I’ll take you to the police. They will treat you with dignity.
Paul: I’m in the lobby of the Waverly movie theater on Sixth Avenue and Third Street.
Ouisa: We’ll be there Paul. We love you.
Paul: Ouisa. I love you. Ouisa Kittredge.
Ouisa: We’ll have a wonderful life.
(Guare 53-60)
Transition
Cut to Pearly Gates
Paul: Can I get into heaven?
Peter: Well, the imagination is the path which we create to take us to the real world. The imagination is another phrase for what is most uniquely us. To face ourselves, that’s the hard thing. Imagination, that’s God’s gift to make the act of self-examination bearable. Well, Do you get into heaven? I think that’s for your own heart to decide, Paul.
G. Conclusion
(Camera zooms out, concludes with Ouisa’s monologue)
Ouisa: I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six Degrees of separation. Between us and everybody else on this planet. A President of the United States. A gondolier in Venice. Fill in the names. I find that: A) Tremendously comforting that we’re so close and B) like Chinese Water torture that we’re so close. Because you have to find the right six people to make the connection. I am bound to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people. It’s a profound thought. How Paul Found us. How to find the man whose son he pretends to be. Or perhaps is his son. How every person is a new door, opening up into other worlds. Six degrees of separation between me and everyone else on this planet. But to find the right six people… (Guare 45).
(Fade to Black)
Movie Link:http://youtu.be/hbvi4g5A8yI
5. Storyboard
Scene 1:
Scene 2
Scene 3:
6. MLA Bibliography
Works Cited
Anderson, Fletcher. "John Guare." John Guare. Theatre Database, 15 Apr. 2002. Web. 29 Oct.
2013.
Guare, John. Six Degrees of Separation. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1992. Print.
Works Consulted
Brockes, Emma. "John Guare: 'Writing Is a Blood Sport'" The Guardian. N.p., 05 Jan. 2010.
Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
Gussow, Mel. "AFOOT WITH: John Guare; Chasing Serendipity in New York City." The New
York Times. The New York Times, 20 May 1993. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
"John Guare." Award-Winning Playwright Biographies: John Guare. The Jason Bennett Actor's
Workshop, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
Six Degrees of Separation. Dir. Fred Schepisi. Perf. Will Smith, Stockard Channing, Donald
Sutherland. MGM, 1993. DVD.